


Sneezes and Wheezes

by side_stickie_note (lost_stickie_note)



Category: X1 (Korea Band)
Genre: Allergies to cute animals are the worst, Fluff, M/M, Meet-Cute, One Shot, Someone save Seungyoun from being a coward, Wooseok is a cat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-30
Updated: 2020-01-30
Packaged: 2021-02-27 11:29:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22416292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lost_stickie_note/pseuds/side_stickie_note
Summary: It's rather unfortunate that Seungyoun is allergic to cats.
Relationships: Cho Seungyeon | Seungyoun/Kim Wooseok | Wooshin
Comments: 15
Kudos: 128
Collections: 99&UP Fic Fest





	Sneezes and Wheezes

**Author's Note:**

> Based on Prompt #077:
> 
> pet shop au where seungyoun absolutely loves cats but is allergic to them so everyday he would pass by the pet shop just to watch the kittens from the display window. and then one day the shop’s new hire, wooseok, comes out in the cutest cat costume and seungyoun is Smitten

Seungyoun sighs, pressing his nose up to the window, his breath making a little jagged circle of fog over the glass, looking in longingly at the little balls of fluff having fun tumbling over themselves. There are four in the window today, two less than yesterday, and Seungyoun notes to himself the ones that are missing. The kitten in the corner snuggled into the basket is just a mound of pure white, its tail curled around itself as it naps. Snowflake. And then there’s the midnight black kitten, its paws and chest painted white, running up over its nose and white-striped between its blue eyes. Oreo. And that kitten is play-fighting with its sibling, another black and white kitten, only distinguishable from Oreo by the difference in the white markings over its face. Domino. And lastly, there’s the spectator, a small tabby, licking its paws clean in a front row seat in Oreo and Domino’s great battle to the finish, calmly observing. Pebbles. Which means the two that found new homes are Tiger and Midnight.

He lets out another deep sigh, the regret seeping into his head as he thinks about how lovely it would be to take home a kitten for himself. It isn’t as if he hadn’t _tried_ , but his one attempt had ended in complete disaster, his eyes tearing for the rest of the night, red and swollen, his nose unbearably stuffy. He had gone through at least one box of tissues, and it was with much disappointment that he had finally given the kitten to Hangyul to take care of instead. At least the pet shop is on his way back home from school, and he can take solace in the fact that he’s able to see the kittens in the store window every day on his walk home. Seungyoun nearly coos out loud when Domino comes to press their nose up against the window, pawing at where Seungyoun’s hand is pressed up against the glass.

The bell grabs his attention, the slight jangle that happens each time the door to the store opens, and Seungyoun turns, just in time to be greeted by an unexpected sight, a shorter boy, hands full with flyers, the dark blue pet store apron thrown over his clothes, a nametag pinned to the front pocket. Wooseok. His hair is caramel-colored, a bit sticking up near the top, the headband affixed to his head slightly crooked, the white fluffy cat ears barely clinging on. And Seungyoun needs to stifle a laugh when he sees the matching tail at the back when the boy turns to face him, hand automatically sticking out a flyer as an offering. “Hello, are you interested in taking home a pet, but more importantly, a lifelong friend today?”

Wooseok’s nose is pink.

And it matches his cheeks.

Seungyoun takes the flyer anyways, furrowing his eyebrows in apology, voice wistful. “I would love to take home a pet, but I can’t.” He pauses. Wooseok gives him a disappointed look, all wide eyed, and god, Seungyoun nearly changes his mind right then and there. “I’m allergic…I actually tried to take home a kitten from here once but didn’t even last a full week.” The _eyes_. “But I really, _really_ want to. I’m sorry.” Seungyoun is sure he imagines it because he’s not an idiot and knows that the cat ears aren’t _actually_ attached to Wooseok’s head, but he swears up and down that he sees them droop from disappointment. Change the subject. “You must be a new though. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you working here before.” _Okay, that sounded slightly creepy._ “I mean, I pass by this shop every day on my way home.”

“Yeah, I really needed the cash so I started looking for a part-time job.” Wooseok smiles. “And this was the only one that had flexible hours that I could mesh with my class schedule.” The other boy’s mouth pops open in a little circle _oh!_ giving him a sheepish look. “Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Wooseok.” He points to his nametag. “As you probably figured out already. What’s your name?”

“Seungyoun.” He sticks out his hand for Wooseok to shake. “Do you go to school around here?”

“Yeah, at Dongah University.”

Seungyoun can barely contain himself, the excitement in his voice palpable. “Wait, _I_ go to Dongah University. What are you studying?” Wooseok’s eyes widen with surprise. “Journalism, you?” Seungyoun shoots back. “Psychology. No wonder I haven’t seen you on campus before. Most of your classes must be in the humanities buildings.” Seungyoun takes a deep breath before forging ahead, his voice teasing. “I’ll keep an eye out, and maybe I’ll see you around sometime. Though I wonder how I’ll recognize you without the cat ears and tail.”

Wooseok’s cheeks flush a deep scarlet red, the color painting his skin slowly, spreading all the way to the tips of his ears. “I-uh…” If possible, the other boy grows even more red as he reaches out to half-pat Wooseok’s head, rubbing the ears in between his thumb and index finger. “I’ve never seen any of the other employees in cat ears and a tail. They’re cute on you though.”

“I- thought it was a requirement, you know, for the uniform.” Wooseok blurts out, making Seungyoun laugh. “Nope, maybe they were just teasing the new hire.” Seungyoun smiles hesitantly at Wooseok again. “Well, I’ve got to be getting home, but I guess I’ll see you again if you’re gonna keep working here at least.” He casts another forlorn look at the shop window, giving a small wave. “Bye Snowflake, Oreo, Domino, Pebbles.”

Wooseok’s laugh cuts through the icy air. “You named them? But you said you can’t even bring one home.”

“Yeah, well.” Seungyoun splutters, defensive. “They’re cute, and I wanted names to call them by.” Wooseok doesn’t say anything else, his amused expression speaking volumes, and Seungyoun can feel his cheeks warming the longer he stands there.

They’re still warm even after he gets home.

\---

“What are you doing?” Seungyoun turns his head around a tad too quickly as he hears Hangyul’s question, his friend sitting next to him at the table in the library. Hangyul hisses at him again, voice low as to not disturb everyone who’s studying around him, eyes narrowed. “You haven’t done anything since walking in here except for flip the page once and staring off into the distance god knows where.”

“ _Twice_. I’ve gotten through two pages.”

“We’ve been here for an _hour_.”

“Shut up.”

“You’re the one who said you wanted to study together after school. Not me.” Hangyul makes a pained expression. “Out of the kindness in my heart, I followed you here.”

“I’m looking for someone.”

“Oh?” Hangyul’s interest perks, eyebrow raised. “Who, exactly?”

“Remember the pet shop I bought Thunder from? A new guy who started working there last week.” Seungyoun smiles at the memory. “I happened to find out that he goes to Dongah too. By the way, how is Thunder doing?” The regret bubbles up as he remembers the little tabby kitten that he had to give up to Hangyul.

“Thunder is fine. Maybe next weekend after our exam, you can load up on allergy meds and come spend an hour at my place to play with him.” Hangyul cradles his chin in his hands. “More importantly, happened to find out? Or you went and stalked him on social media creepily until you found out?” Hangyul asks questioningly. “Obviously I didn’t creepily stalk him on social media.” Seungyoun shoots back, affronted. “What do you take me for?”

“Mhm.” Hangyul nods slowly.

Seungyoun spends the next half hour wanting to throttle his best friend.

\---

Seungyoun swears he’s not being creepy.

It’s not his fault that he walks by the pet shop every day during the times Wooseok has his shifts. It only makes sense as the only time the other boy could possibly be working is when he doesn’t have any classes. And it’s certainly not his fault that Wooseok’s class schedule happens to line up pretty well with _his_ class schedule. But this is how after a few weeks, Seungyoun has figured out that Wooseok works every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoon, and if he heads home immediately after his last class of the day, he will inevitably see Wooseok at the pet shop.

He has a hard time convincing Hangyul that he’s not being creepy.

And Seungyoun has a much harder time convincing himself that he’s not being creepy when he’s standing at his doorway on Wednesday morning, waffling over the decision of whether or not he should bring an extra scarf. For Wooseok. Because the temperature has been steadily decreasing over the past few weeks, and Seungyoun definitely noticed that Wooseok’s nose and cheeks are red each time the other boy greets him, his hands clutching at the stack of flyers each time, breath forming little puffs of misty air. But the tiny little voice in his head says maybe that’s too much, and he leaves his house without grabbing another one.

The voice sounds suspiciously like Hangyul.

Nine hours later, and he’s regretting his indecision from the morning.

“Hi, Seungyoun.”

To Seungyoun’s great joy, he’s managed to strike up what he would call a friendship with Wooseok, the other boy coming out to greet him each time he passes by, almost as if by routine by now. And each time Wooseok is wearing the same uniform, the apron thrown over his outfit of the day, the white cat ears and tail continuing to make their appearance. Today’s outfit is definitely not warm enough for the weather, and Seungyoun looks on concernedly as Wooseok lets out a loud sniffle, the other boy’s nose redder than usual.

He wishes he brought the extra scarf.

“Hey, Wooseok. Are you feeling okay?”

“Just a little under the weather. Maybe I’m coming down with something.” Wooseok blinks at him from behind his circle frames. “It’s nothing serious.” The shorter boy lets out a small yelp, startled, as he presses the back of his hand to Wooseok’s forehead, staring intently, biting his lip anxiously. “Hmmm, you don’t feel feverish at all, at least.”

Seungyoun only hesitates for a second.

He watches as Wooseok’s eyes widen rather comically as he quickly unwraps the scarf from around his neck, looping it once over the other boy, making sure his favorite peachy orange scarf is snug under Wooseok’s chin. “You need to make sure to take care of yourself.” He chides lightly, giving the shorter boy a tap on the forehead. “Which includes making sure you’re warm enough so you don’t get sick.”

“I- can’t take your scarf.” And Seungyoun shakes his head when Wooseok tries to protest, hand reaching up to unwind the scarf to give it back. He catches Wooseok’s hand, holding on firmly. “Don’t. You’re sniffling and probably catching a cold already. Keep it. You can give it back next time.”

Seungyoun skips backward, walking away before Wooseok can argue further, calling out as he leaves Wooseok standing at the front of the shop. “Remember, stay warm. And make yourself some hot tea when you get home.”

It makes him smile when he sees Wooseok on Friday, cat ears and tail, circle frames, with his bright orange scarf.

Perhaps he makes up an excuse not to take it back.

\---

He hates that Hangyul is right.

“Stop it. We’re just friends.” Seungyoun takes another bite of his sandwich, staring at Hangyul across from him absentmindedly as he eats. “And that’s it.”

Hangyul snorts, stealing a french fry off his plate, stuffing it into his mouth before responding. “But you clearly want to be more than just friends. You’ve pretty much been pining over him ever since you met.”

“Have not.”

“Have too.”

“Have _not_.”

“You talk about him incessantly, and every single time we see him on campus, you look very obviously _pining_ , and while it’s rather amusing to see you struggling like a fish out of water, I think I’d rather just see you confess and get it over with.” Hangyul looks at him thoughtfully. “Besides, you have nothing to lose. What’s the worst that could happen? You just get demoted back to boy-that-stares-through-the-pet-store-window-each-day-without-ever-taking-home-a-pet.”

“If this is supposed to be a pep talk, it isn’t a really good one, Hangyul.”

“This stopped being a pep talk after the third time, Seungyoun.”

He _really_ hates that Hangyul is right.

Just _do_ it.

Seungyoun can feel his palms getting sweaty, the nervousness bubbling up in his chest, and he can almost hear his heartbeat getting quicker as he approaches the pet shop today. Wooseok is already outside, and he can see the other boy off in the distance, just another block away, his cat ears standing out, handing out a flyer to someone walking by. Nothing to be nervous about. Wooseok spots him when he’s half a block away, turning to wave at him cheerfully, and his hand goes up automatically to wave back. He still hasn’t taken back his scarf, with Wooseok wearing it each time Seungyoun sees him, and today is no exception.

“Hi, Wooseok.” He curses inwardly as he hears himself sounding slightly breathless, as though he’s run a mile. “How’s your day been? Did your exam go alright?”

The corners of Wooseok’s mouth upturn into a slight smile. “Not bad. It wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be so I think I managed to scrape together an okay grade on it. You? Did your presentation go well?”

“Yeah, it was fine.” Seungyoun fidgets with the zipper on his coat, not sure what to say next, but he’s saved when Wooseok breaks the silence first. “Oh, yesterday, a couple came and bought Oreo and Domino. They didn’t want to separate the two of them, and it was so nice of them to give a home to both. So now the only OG kitten left is Pebbles.” Wooseok points to the shop window where Pebbles is still playing the observer role, this time watching as a grey kitten and a tortoiseshell one bat at each other playfully with their paws. “At least Mist and Cinnamon are getting along.”

Wooseok puffs out his cheeks. “I’m glad your presentation went well. I’m going to head back inside now. Need to clean the fish tanks today. See you tomorrow?” And the other boy is already halfway back in the store, the door open, the bell jingling, before Seungyoun is spurred into action, the words coming out before he can even think about what he’s saying. “I want a cat.”

“Didn’t you tell me that you tried to bring home a kitten once? Thunder? And then had to give him away because of your allergies?” Wooseok gives him a bemused look. “You already tried once. I don’t think it’s going to work even if you try again, Seungyoun.”

“Well, what if the cat I want is you.”

Seungyoun waits for what seems like an eternity, feeling his cheeks heating up gradually as the silence stretches on, Wooseok staring at him with an unreadable expression. Wooseok tilts his head, the words coming slowly. “Tomorrow after work. I’m free.” A short pause. “And I get to keep your scarf.”

“It’s a date.”


End file.
